Numerological analysis of the WKB approximation in large order

Carl M. Bender, Kaare Olaussen, and Paul S. Wang
Phys. Rev. D 16, 1740 – Published 15 September 1977
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Abstract

We show how to slove the one-dimensional two-turning-point eigenvalue problem for analytic potentials to all orders in the WKB approximation. We use this method to compute the eigenvalues of the xN (N even) potential to twelfth order. Numerical results for the x4 potential are accurate to 1 part in 1015 for the tenth eigenvalue. For the ν0cosh2x potential the WKB series reduces to a geometric series which may be summed to give the exact answer. Finally, we report on the results of numerological experiments on the structure of the WKB series. The simplicity of our results leads us to conjecture (weakly) that it may be possible to find a formula for the terms of the WKB series for arbitrary analytic potentials.

  • Received 24 September 1976

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.16.1740

©1977 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Carl M. Bender*

  • Department of Physics, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri 63130

Kaare Olaussen and Paul S. Wang

  • Department of Mathematics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139

  • *Work supported in part by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and in part under N.S.F. Grant No. 29463.
  • Work Supported by Norwegian Research Council for Humanities and Science amd the N.S.F. Grant 29463.
  • Work supported in part by the Laboratory for Computer Science (formerly Project MAC), an MIT Interdepartmental Laboratory, Sponsered by the United States Energy Reasearch and Development Administration under Contract No. E(11-1)-3070.

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Issue

Vol. 16, Iss. 6 — 15 September 1977

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